In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion® XT B100 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Motion XT C100 is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion XT B100 and MartinLogan Motion XT C100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan Motion XT B100 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter
- 6.5" Kevlar Woofer
- 45-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 93 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-250watts
- Weight:9.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 368.0" x 8" x 12-1/2"( 368 x 203 x 318mm )
MartinLogan Motion XT C100 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 42-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 93 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 5ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:15.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 203.0" x 24" x 14-1/2"( 203 x 610 x 368mm )
Motion XT B100 and Motion XT C100 are members of MartinLogan's Motion XT series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
MartinLogan Motion XT Series History
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion XT B100 and MartinLogan Motion XT C100 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
MartinLogan Motion XT B100 |
MartinLogan Motion XT C100 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2, Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: > 400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening position, speaker locations, etc.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan Motion XT B100 and MartinLogan Motion XT C100 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Motion XT B100 and Motion XT C100 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Motion XT B100 |
MartinLogan Motion XT C100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Motion XT B100 features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600Hz. On the other hand, the Motion XT C100 features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1300Hz and 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion XT B100 has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz whereas Motion XT C100 has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Motion XT C100 can go slightly deeper then the Motion XT B100's min frequency of 45Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
MartinLogan Motion XT B100
MartinLogan Motion XT C100
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Motion XT B100 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Motion XT C100 which has a nominal impedance of 5 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Motion XT B100 can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 93 dBdB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Motion XT B100 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Motion XT B100 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the Motion XT C100.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Motion XT B100 and Motion XT C100 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Motion XT B100's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
MartinLogan Motion XT C100's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion XT B100 and Motion XT C100 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare MartinLogan Motion XT B100's and MartinLogan Motion XT C100's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion XT B100 has external dimensions of 368 x 203 x 318mm ( 14-1/2-inch x 8inch x 12-1/2inch ) whereas MartinLogan Motion XT C100 has external dimensions of 203 x 610 x 368mm ( 8inch x 24inch x 14-1/2inch ) .
MartinLogan Motion XT B100 is 407mm narrower and 50mm less deeper than MartinLogan Motion XT C100 but it is also 165mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the MartinLogan Motion XT B100 is approximately 645.5cm2 / 100.1inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT C100 is approximately 2244.8cm2 / 347.9inch2. The Motion XT B100 requires 71% less surface area than the Motion XT C100 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Max Input Power 
Nominal Impedance 
Number of Woofers 
Height